Killer Desires

by Becca Collins

  “What if setting me up was an accident?”

  “I’m not following,” she admitted.

  “Maybe Courtney never intended to set me up by using the gun. What if she just found it in the garage and kept it just in case. Then it was just a lucky coincidence that I was back in town when everything went down.”

  “That would mean this never had anything to do with us,” she said and sat back. The idea surprised her. She had been so caught up in trying to figure out who had it in for them, she never considered any other possibility.

  “Cameron’s going to have the investigator keep digging. At least, if it comes down to it, he may be able to use to create reasonable doubt.”

  “I agree. I was actually going to throw out my own alternative theory. This morning I found some notes in Kristen’s office about her looking into the identity of your father and it got me to thinking about a completely different angle. What if it’s all related?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “What if this all has to do with your father?”

  “Darlin’, I’m not following you at all.”

  “Okay, you come back to town looking for your father. You talk to Kristen about said search and she asks Chad about it. Both Kristen and Chad end up dead and you are facing a prison sentence. The only thing the three of you have in common is the search for your dad.”

  “That’s not the only thing,” he argued.

  “What else is there?” She asked.

  “You.” His answer left her momentarily speechless and he continued. “Besides, Kristen wasn’t murdered. She was in a car accident.”

  “Yes, but is it just a coincidence that she was killed in an accident the same day we were going to discuss her research? How can we be certain there wasn’t another car involved?”

  “Have the police said there was?” He had mastered the art of answering questions with questions.

  “No, but they haven’t really said anything at all. They were waiting for a report from the reconstruction people.”

  “I’ll tell you what,” he volunteered, “I don’t have anything going on this afternoon. I’ll go by the station and see if I can get the Sheriff to tell me anything.”

  “Oh, actually,” Sarah thought of something else. “Can you also ask him when we can pick up the contents of Shane’s car? They were on their way over that night mainly because Kristen wanted to talk to us about her research. If I know her, she had a file folder full of supporting documentation with her that night.”

  “I’ll be sure and ask him,” he promised. “What are you going to do?”

  “I was going to go by my office but I think I’ll head to the library to see if Mrs. Hill had any ideas about what Kristen had found and see if it fits with my ‘it’s all connected’ theory.”

  “Well, at least now we have two new theories. Either it’s all connected, or none of it is.”

  “Are you going back to your parents’ house later?”

  “No, I’m going to keep the kids at my house and try to do something fun with them. They’ve been through a lot lately. Even though they don’t know everything that’s going on, I’m sure they sense that something is.”

  “Alright, I’ll talk to you later then.

  “Yeah, let me know what you find out from the Sheriff,” she added and disconnected.

  ****

  Sarah ascended the wide marble staircase and thought about how many times Kristen had climbed them. Adele Hill was at her usual post behind the long counter, scanning a stack of books.

  “Oh, Sarah,” Mrs. Hill gave Sarah a sympathetic look as she put down the scanner and book she’d been holding. “I’m so sorry to hear about Kristen. We already miss her around here.”

  “We do too,” Sarah answered.

  “How’s your brother doing?”

  “He’s hanging in there. The doctors are still optimistic, but he still hasn’t regained consciousness.”

  “Is there anything I can do for you?”

  “Actually, there is something. Before the accident Kristen and I had talked about some research that she had been doing. I was wondering if she told you anything about it.”

  “That old car accident?”

  “Yes ma’am. I was trying to figure out if she’d learned anything new about it.”

  “I’ll help you if I can. Is there anything specific you want to know?”

  “Well,” Sarah suddenly realized that she was completely unprepared for this conversation and was unsure about what answer to give. “Kristen was actually helping a friend of mine and I was hoping to complete her project for her and give him the information he wanted.”

  “Mr. Williams, I presume?” Her knowing smile took Sarah by surprise.

  “Yes, did Kristen talk to you much about what she was doing?”

  “Sure, honey, we worked here together a few times a week. She spent a lot of her free time doing research and I answered questions for her when I could.”

  “What kind of questions?”

  “Sarah, I have been here for thirty years and all I have are memories. Kristen showed me yearbook pictures and newspaper articles then she’d ask what I remembered.”

  “Is there anything specific you recall talking to her about, particularly in the few days before the accident?”

  Mrs. Hill motioned toward an old wooden table near the counter and Sarah followed her over and took a seat. Mrs. Hill took a deep breath and looked pointedly at Sarah.

  “What’s really going on here, Sarah? I get the feeling there is something you aren’t telling me.”

  Sarah looked around the room and debated about how much she should reveal. There was only one other person in the library over by the reference books and Sarah had never seen him before so she settled on complete honesty.

  “At the time of the accident my brother and Kristen were on their way over for dinner. Kristen wanted to talk to me about some things she’d found in doing the research into Brett’s mother. The police haven’t ruled out the possibility of another car being involved in the accident. And, well, with everything else that’s been going on lately it got me to wondering if it’s possible that during her research into Brett’s parents she came across something someone didn’t want her to know.”

  “I warned Kristen about disturbing sleeping dogs,” Mrs. Hill fumbled with her fingers. “But, I never believed her to be in any danger.”

  “This isn’t your fault,” Sarah reached across the table and laid a hand over hers.

  “But, maybe if I hadn’t helped her…”

  “Mrs. Hill, really, they may not even be connected. I just wanted to find out everything I could.”

  “I don’t really believe in coincidences. The day before her death, Kristen was very excited about what she considered a breakthrough in her research. She had requested copies of the police reports from Maggie’s wreck. When she finally got them, she found something that disturbed her. She believed the police report confirmed her suspicions that Maggie running off the road wasn’t an accident. I know she spoke with one of the Sheriff’s deputies to request the whole case file, but she never told me if they were going to give it to her or not. Do you realize that Maggie died less than a quarter of a mile from where Kristen was killed?”

  “Do you think it could have been the same person?”

  “That’s a dangerous stretch of road so maybe not, but it sure makes a person think doesn’t it?”

  “Did Kristen tell you why she was researching Maggie’s death?”

  Mrs. Hill shook her head. “No, only that she was helping a friend get some answers. I assumed she meant Brett since there isn’t anyone else in the area that would be that interested.”

  “Kristen was trying to help Brett find out who is father is.”

  “Oh,” she looked up at the ceiling, “that explains a lot of her questions.”

  “Like what?”

  “Who Maggie had dated, what rumors had been going around at the time.”

  “And
what did you tell her?”

  “Sarah, you have to understand, this is a small town, but it was even smaller twenty years ago. The kids back then seemed to date each other over and over again. When an unmarried girl got pregnant back then the rumor mill went crazy. There was a lot of talk about her having had an affair with a married man. She insisted she’d gotten pregnant by some guy she’d met on a weekend trip to St. Louis, then she left town until the baby was born. After that, the rumors died down. People gave her the benefit of the doubt and by then there would have been a new subject for the gossips.”

  “So you don’t know who fathered Maggie’s baby?”

  “I don’t think anyone did. Like I said, she claimed it was a student in St. Louis that she’d met at a party up there.”

  “But someone ran her car off the road? Maybe she’d decided that she wanted Brett to know his father after all.”

  “That was what Kristen believed, but I’ll tell you the same thing I told her. That’s quite a leap to make based on a police report from nearly thirty years ago. Especially considering the police eventually determined they were wrong in their initial belief that a second car was involved in the accident.”

  Sarah glanced at the clock hanging on the wall and realized that she needed to get to the office.

  “Thank you for all of your help, Mrs. Hill,” she said as she stood. “Oh wait, do you happen to know which deputy Kristen had talked to about getting the file?”

  “Of course, dear. Joey Newman.”

  ****

  Sarah set the bowls of cereal on the table in front of Lindsey and Matty then started the coffee maker, in hopes that a jolt of caffeine would energize her exhausted body.

  When she heard the doorbell, she glance at the clock. Who’s here this early? Lindsey raced ahead of Sarah and was pulling open the front door as Sarah rounded the corner and Sarah opened her mouth to scold her.

  The sight of Brett was standing on the porch in clean jeans and T-shirt, hair damp from a recent shower, made the words escape her. A slow smile crept over his face as he greeted Lindsey.

  “Good morning!” he said cheerfully as he walked into the house.

  “Hi Brett!” Lindsey exclaimed.

  “Brett?” Sarah said with a forced smile, “What are you doing here?”

  “What kinda greeting is that?” He smiled and turned to Lindsey to whisper, “You may need to teach your mama some manners.”

  Lindsey giggled at the thought and ran back to the kitchen so Brett turned to Sarah.

  “What are you doing here?” She questioned.

  The cocky grin on his face told her he was up to no good.

  “I’ve got a surprise,” he whispered in her ear before he strode toward the kitchen.

  “Hey kids!” she heard him call as she raced after him. ‘You guys wanna go ride some horses this morning?”

  “Yes!” they screamed in unison, as Sarah entered the room.

  “Well, you better go up and get dressed then,” he bellowed. The kids nearly knocked Sarah down as they raced from the room.

  “Wh… what are you doing?” She asked in astonishment.

  “I just figured after all you’ve been going through, all of you could use a day off.”

  “Brett, really, I appreciate it but I can’t possibly go horseback riding this morning. I have work and I need to check on Shane and…”

  He put a finger to her lips to shut her up. “Look, you can’t take care of everybody else if you don’t take care of yourself. You said yourself that those kids have been through a lot. They need to have some fun just as much as you do.”

  She couldn’t argue with his logic and he knew it. He grinned like the proverbial cat. “You’re probably gonna want some shoes, though,” he added as he nodded at her bare feet.

  ****

  “Where are we going?” Sarah asked from the passenger seat of Brett’s truck.

  “I told you, it’s a surprise,” he mocked.

  She gave him a look and folded her arms as if to pout. Brett pretended to ignore her and returned his attention to the road ahead. Twenty minutes later, he turned off the highway onto a dusty road.

  “We’re going to the Keller place?” She asked.

  “Nope,” he smiled.

  “But this road doesn’t go anyplace else.” She argued.

  “It isn’t the Keller place anymore, darlin’, it’s the Williams’ place.” He looked over and winked at her as if he’d just let her in on a huge secret.

  “You… you bought it?”

  “A couple of months ago. Haven’t moved in yet, though. Wanted to fix up a few things first. The horses are here though, that’s all that matters today.

  He pulled the truck to a stop in front of a modern barn and jumped out. The kids excitedly raced ahead of them. Still in shock, Sarah slowly exited the vehicle and reached for her handbag.

  “Damn,” she exclaimed. “I forgot my cell phone.”

  “You won’t need it today,” he told her.

  “But my brother…”

  “Darlin’,” he moved in next to her and pulled her close to him. “Everybody needs a day off. This one’s yours. It will be okay, I promise.”

  She reluctantly followed Brett into the stables and watched as he pulled a saddle off its hook on the wall and carried it to the nearest stall. She had to admit this would be good for the kids and she let herself relax a little. Only a couple of minutes later, Brett led the mare out and into the paddock as she and the kids followed close behind. When he re-entered the barn, she grabbed a child in each arm and waited for Brett to return with a second horse. She didn’t want the kids to scare the horse and get themselves hurt.

  “Maybe you should take it slow. I’m sure it’s been years since you’ve ridden.” He teased.

  “You just try to keep up,” she laughed and climbed into the saddle.

  Noticing the Matty seemed a little scared, Brett lifted the boy up and placed him in the saddle in front of Sarah. He then lifted Lindsey into the other saddle and swept in behind her. Brett led the way out of the paddock and they headed for the trees in the distance.

  After an hour of riding through the old trails, Brett led them down a break in the path and Sarah saw the Black river running smoothly ahead. They tied the horses to a tree and watched as the kids raced down the shore.

  “Be careful,” Sarah called. “Don’t go near the water!”

  “Okay!” they yelled and starting searching for rocks to skip. She turned to find Brett leaning against a tree, staring down at her, hat pulled lower over his bright blue eyes. His stance reminded her of another time and place and she felt heat rise through her.

  “This is great,” she smiled. “They’re having a ball. Thank you.”

  “Anytime, darlin’” he said. “Anytime at all.”

  Ever the boy scout, Brett had packed a few sandwiches and some chips in the saddlebag on his horse. He pulled out a rough wool blanket and they sat in the sun enjoying their picnic lunch. The kids had pleaded until Sarah relented and let them wade into the water. She leaned back against a tree and watched them splash around.

  Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Brett staring at her. The flush in her cheeks caught her off guard and she looked away. It’s so perfect out here. It wasn’t just the sun shining in the cloudless sky or the sound of children’s laughter echoing off the rocks. It was more that he knew what she needed without her ever saying a thing. She realized that was the thing with him. Somehow, they just connected. She finally looked toward him and found that his gaze hadn’t moved. She felt exposed.

  “We should probably start heading back,” she said softly, her voice thick with emotion.

  Brett didn’t say anything. He only nodded and rose to prepare the horses. How could he just know that was exactly the right response?

  They switched partners for the ride back as Matty insisted it was his turn to ride with Brett. Brett took off in a slow gallop and Matty’s laughter could have been heard a mile away. Not t
o be outdone, Sarah told Lindsey to hold on tight as she raced past the boys toward the barn.

  “I got the horses,” Brett drawled. “Why don’t you take the kids inside to wash up?”

  She’d just gotten their hands dried when she heard car doors closing.

  The Sheriff’s cruiser was parked behind Brett’s truck when she stepped off the front porch. She saw the tension on Brett’s face and felt the dread rise up in her chest. What now?

  “Why don’t you kids go say goodbye to the horses. But be careful!” she called as she walked toward the Sheriff and Brett. Deputy Joey Newman was standing a few feet away, watching them closely.

  “What’s going on?” She asked hesitantly. Brett looked over at her, his lips parting briefly before he clamped them shut. He looked down at the ground.

  “Mrs. Taylor,” Sheriff Murphy moved toward her. “We’ve been trying to reach you on your cell phone.”

  Sarah felt her knees give and threw a hand out to the cruiser’s hood to catch herself.

  “Oh God! Shane…” She cried.

  Joey moved into to steady her.

  “No, Sarah, it’s not that,” he said.

  “Then… what?” She demanded.

  “Shane woke up this morning,” he answered.

  “What?” She questioned in amazement. “Shane’s awake?”

  “Well, no,” he continued. “He was only awake for a couple of minutes. Just long enough to….”

  “To what?”

  “To name his assailant,” Joey looked to the Sheriff.

  “He said who did it? Shane told you who ran them off the road?” She stood up in excitement. “Who was it?”

  “He said…” Joey stumbled on the words.

  “He named Brett,” Sheriff Murphy finished. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Taylor.”

  Sheriff Murphy turned his attention back to Brett at the same time Sarah’s own stare reached him. He was still looking at the ground, shaking his head.